My mom told me my chili was too watery and it stung for a week

She said 'honey, this is soup, not chili' and I realized I never let it simmer long enough to thicken up. Now I cook it on low for at least 45 minutes uncovered and it's a whole different meal for about the same cost. Anyone else get honest feedback that totally changed their go-to recipe?

2 comments

2 Comments

spencer_thomas44d agoTop Commenter

Nah I'm gonna push back on this one. A thin chili is a tragedy but a thick chili can be just as bad if you go too far. I had a buddy who simmered his for two hours uncovered and it turned into basically chili paste you had to spread on a bun like a weird meat jam. There's a sweet spot. Sometimes a little extra liquid keeps it from becoming a dry brick of beans and meat, especially if you reheat it the next day. My aunt's chili was basically soup and it was the best thing at every family gathering, so maybe your mom just likes it textbook style.

jade_butler4d ago

Thick chili is the only real chili, sorry. Thin soup chili is basically just bean water with some meat floating around in it. My grandma made hers so thick you could stand a spoon up in it and she simmered it for almost four hours with no lid. You just gotta stir it every once in a while so it doesn't burn on the bottom. If you have to eat it with a spoon like cereal that's not chili that's something else entirely.